Automatic filling valve

ABSTRACT

An automatic-filling valve unit has a nozzle disposable within the neck of a container and a flow control valve is located on the lower end of said nozzle for quick shutoff. The valve is opened by air pressure and closed by a spring. Vacuum is drawn through the lower end of the nozzle constantly while filling of a container progresses and is interconnected to a control valve for the air pressure which operates the flow control valve, whereby when liquid rising in the container reaches the suction inlet on the nozzle, the control valve is actuated to release the air pressure instantly and permit the spring to close the flow control valve.

United States Patent I [72] inventor Thomas E. Fissel Hanover, Pa.

[21] Appl. No. 846,874

[22 Filed Aug. 1, 1969 [45] Patented July 27, 1971 [73] AssigneeChisholm-Ryder Company of Pennsylvania Hanover, Pa.

[54] AUTOMATIC FILLING VALVE 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.5. C1. 141/40, 137/373, 141/160, 141/198. 141/275, 251/28 [51}Int. Cl. B65b 3/26 [50] Field 01 Search 137/373; 141/39-41, 46,59,160,198, 276, 301, 361; 251/28 [56] References Cited I UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,728,547 12/1955 Crookston et a1. 251/28 3,043,349 7/1962Bennett 141/39 3,182,691 5/1965 Vergobbiet a1. 141/41 X 3,263,711 8/1966Laub 141/40 3,313,326 4/1967 Pellerino 141/40 3,495,634 2/1970 Hurst eta1. .1 141/40 Primary .ramt'ner Laverne D, Geiger Assistant Examiner-Edward J. Earls Attorney-Cv Hercus Just ABSTRACT: An automatic-fillingvalve unit has a nozzle disposable within the neck of a container and aflow controlvalve is located on the lower end of said nozzle for quickshutoff. The valve is opened by air pressure and closed by a spring.Vacuum is drawn through the lower end of the nozzle constantly whilefilling of a container progresses and is interconnected to a controlvalve for the air pressure which operates the flow control valve,whereby when liquid rising in the container reaches the suction inlet onthe nozzle, the control valve is actuated to release the air pressureinstantly and permit the spring to close the flow control valve.

AUTOMATIC FILLING VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Numerous types offilling nozzles have been designed for discharging liquid intocontainers of various types such as bottles, jars, cans, etc. Many ofthese prior types of filling nozzles have included means which engagethe upper ends of containers, such as bottles and jars, incident eitherto moving the container upwardly relative to the nozzle or lowering thenozzle into the container, for purposes of opening the discharge controlvalve. In recent years, however, many types of thinwalled containershave been developed which are extruded or blown from synthetic resin orplastics, some of which have irregular shapes incapable of readilysustaining forces applied thereto in a longitudinal direction, wherebysaid aforementioned filling technique which has been extensivelyemployed in filling mechanisms cannot be resorted to.

Particularly for purposes of actuating a discharge control valve forliquid to be introduced into relatively fragile containers, but withoutrestriction thereto, filling mechanisms have been developed which areresponsive to the level of a liquid when discharged to a predeterminedextent within a container and including means operable incident to apredetermined level of liquid being reached to close the dischargecontrol valve for the liquid supply, Certain of said mechanisms haveemployed vacuum means associated with the discharge end of the fillingnozzle so that when the rising liquid encountered the inlet to thevacuum means, mechanism of a relatively complex nature is operated toclose the discharge control valve for the liquid supply. Examples ofmechanism of this type are shown and described in US. Pats. Nos.3,037,536, issuedJune 5, I962, and 3,150,697, issued Sept. 29, 1964.

Another type of mechanism previously developed for achieving theforegoing purposes relies upon the discharge of air from the deliveryend of the filling nozzle and upon the discharge end of the air conduitencountering liquid rising in a container, control mechanism is actuatedto close the discharge control valve for the liquid supply. An exampleof this type of apparatus comprises the subject matter of US. Pat. No.3,207,189, dated Sept. 21, I965.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a more simplified type of automatic filling valveunit than those previously developed, such as exemplified by theaforementioned patents, such filling unit including a filling nozzlepositionable within a container to dispose the discharge end at apredetermined level within the upper portion thereof and including adischarge control valve positioned at the discharge end of the nozzle toeffect instantaneous closing of the valve when a predetermined level ofliquid is reached within a container, said discharge control valve beingactuated by spring means to close it and including fluid-operated meansoperable to open the discharge valve when filling is to occur, theclosing of the valve being in response to vacuum-operated means havingan inlet adjacent the discharge control valve and effective todiscontinue the function of the fluid-operated means and permit thespring means to close said discharge control valve.

It is a further object of the invention to utilize a discharge controlvalve at the discharge end of the filling nozzle which has a plug-typemovable valve member cooperable with the discharge end of the nozzle andactuated by a piston rod extending axially within the nozzle andconnected at its other end to a piston within a cylinder unit comprisingsaid fluidoperated means for said discharge control valve.

It is a further object of the invention to additionally include In saidfilling valve unit an additional control valve for the fluidoperatedmeans which is located between a source of fluid and said fluid-operatedmeans, also including means interconnecting said additional controlvalve to said vacuum passage means of said filling valve unit to effectoperation of said control valve in response to vacuum for purposes ofclosing said additional control valve and thereby discontinue thedelivery of fluid under pressure to said fluid-operated means, wherebysaid aforementioned spring means may close said flow-control valveinstantly.

Still another object of the invention is to employ an air valve betweena source of air under pressure and said additional BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded, somewhat diagrammatic view,principally in vertical sectional elevation of the componentsillustrated therein which comprise part of an automatic filling valveunit embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the automatic filling valve unit embodyingthe principles of the present invention and showing the lower end of thefilling nozzle in an exemplary position within a container for fillingthe same to a predetermined level.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a control valve similarto that illustrated intermediately in FIG. 1 in smaller scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An exemplary automatic fillingvalve unit 10 embodying the principles of the present invention is shownin side elevation in FIG. 2. Said unit comprises a filling nozzle 12which is inserted at least into the neck portion of an exemplarycontainer 14, such as a bottle orjar. Such container may be supportedupon a suitable exemplary support 16 of any suitable type such as a beltconveyor, table, platform, or otherwise. It is immaterial relative tothe present invention whether the nozzle 12 is lowered into thecontainer or the container 14 is elevated with respect to the nozzle.Accordingly, it is only required that relative vertical motion betweenthe container and nozzle shall occur to dispose the same in operativerelationship during a filling operation, followed by separation of thesame so thatthe container may be moved for further operation upon thesame, such as capping or otherwise closing it.

The unit 10 also includes a longitudinally extending rod 18 which issuitably movable axially relative to the unit 10 for purposes oftripping or otherwise operating the actuator 20 of an air control valve22 which preferably comprises a conventional 3-way valve. No specificmeans have been illustrated for effecting relative movement between therod 18 and valve unit 10 because any one of a number of different typesof conventional means may be used. In addition to operating the actuator20 of valve 22, the rod 18 also supports a container-centering means 24which preferably engages the upper end of the container 14 with no morethan light pressure or 'no actual contact at all. The opposite end ofrod 18 has a cam surface 26 which engages a roller or otherwise onactuator 20 to trip said air valve for purposes to be described.

Air control valve 22 has air inlet means 28 thereon connectable to asource of air under suitable pressure. The opposite end of valve 22 hasair discharge means 30 connected to one end of conduit 32, the other endof the conduit being connected to inlet port 34 of an air pressurecontrol valve 36 which primarily controls the delivery of air underpressure to fluid-operated means 38 by means of conduit 40 which entersthe outer end of fluid-operated means 38 that comprises part ofa fillinghead 42. The 3-way valve 22 also provides for inlet means 30communicating with atmosphere when the valve is closed. As readily canbe seen from FIG. 2, the air control valve 22 is compactly supportedupon a bracket plate 44 connected to the upper end of filling head 42and air pressure control valve 36 likewise is mounted closely to thefluidoperated means 38 on the upper end of filling head 42. Toillustrate the function of these various components, however, FIG. 1 hasbeen arranged in exploded manner and most of the components have beenvertically sectioned to illustrate details thereof.

Filling head 42, adjacent the lower end thereof, has a transverse inletport to which liquid inlet conduit 46 is connected, the opposite endthereof being connected to a source of liquid with which containers areto be filled. Directly above the inlet conduit 46, the filling head 42is provided with another inlet port to which a valved nipple 48 isconnected, the same having a threaded screw valve member 50 therein andthe outer end thereof being connectable to a source of vacuum ofsuitable degree or range. The valve 50 provides means for regulating theamount of vacuum applied to inner chamber 52 which has a port 54 alsocommunicating therewith for purposes of connecting one end of a vacuumconduit 56 thereto and the opposite end thereof being connected to aport communicating with inner chamber 60 in the lower portion of airpressure control valve 36.

From FIG. 1, it will be seen that the filling nozzle 12 is tubular andthe discharge end 62 thereof is cylindrically counterbored interiorly toreceive the upper end of a pluglike valve member 64 which cooperateswith discharge end 62 to form a discharge control valve 66. The upperend of valve member 64 preferably slopes, as illustrated in FIG. 1, andintermediately of the ends thereof, a sealing O-ring 68 is mounted forabutment against the terminal end surface of discharge end 62 of fillingnozzle 12, the same being shown in closed position in FIG. 2.

The movable valve member 64 is connected to the lower end of a pistonrod 70 which extends longitudinally within filling nozzle 12 andpreferably is coaxial therewith. The normally upper end of the pistonrod 70 extends into the cylinder 72 of fluid-operated means 38 and isconnected to a piston 74 operable within cylinder 72. A compressionspring 76 surrounds the upper end of piston rod 70 and extends betweenthe lower face of piston 74 and the inner surface of the lower wall ofcylinder 72. Said spring is of sufficient strength to rapidly move valvemember 64 to the closed position thereof shown in FIG. 2 when pressureis relieved from the upper face of piston 74 One wall of cylinder 72 isalso provided with an air relief port 78 open to atmosphere.

Piston rod 70 is provided centrally thereof with a longitudinallyextending passage 80 of small diameter which is coaxial with a hole 82of correspondingly relatively small diameter which extends axiallythrough the valve member 64 so as to communicate with the atmosphere.The upper end of passage 80 communicates with a laterally extending port84 which communicates with the interior of chamber 52 and,correspondingly, with conduit 56. In the preferred construction, a smallO-ring 86 surrounds the piston rod 70 between chamber 52 and inletchamber 88 so as to seal against the possibility of liquid which enterschamber 88 through inlet conduit 46 from entering the vacuum chamber 52.

The air pressure control valve 36 has a valve rod 90 extending axiallytherein. The intermediate portion 92 thereof is smaller in diameter thanthe outer end portions. Said intermediate portion is reciprocable withina bore 94 which is coaxial therewith and of slightly larger diameter toprovide a passage between chamber 96 and chamber 98 within the body ofcontrol valve 36. Chamber 98 communicates with discharge port 100 towhich one end of conduit 40 is connected.

The inner end of the enlarged upper portion of valve rod 90 has amovable valve member 102 surrounding the same, the same preferablycomprising an O-ring of suitable size for coaction with valve seat 104.This comprises a first poppet valve. The upper end of the lower enlargedportion of valve rod 90 has a corresponding O-ring 106 thereon whichcoacts with valve seat 108 and comprises a second poppet valve. Thelower end of valve rod is connected to a flexible diaphragm 110, the rimof which is firmly clamped between the upper end of lower member 112 ofthe body of control valve 36 and an opposing seat in said body. Suchbody has a threaded recess 114 therein to engage and retain the lowermember 112 tightly connected to said body as well as clamping the rim ofthe diaphragm firmly between the members.

Threaded into the bottom of lower member 112 is an adjusting screw 116which is coengageable at its inner end with one end of apressure-regulating spring 118, the upper end of said spring normallyexerting limited pressure against the lower central portion of diaphragm110, as can be clearly seen from FIGS. 1 and 3. The upper enlarged endportion ofvalve rod 90 operates within a bore having a relief at leastat one side thereof for the discharge of residual air from the upper endof cylinder 72 when the discharge control valve 66 is to be closed byspring 76 in accordance with the procedure of operation describedhereinafter. The valve member 102 closes said relief 120 when the firstpoppet valve is open. The upper end of valve rod 90 has amovement-limiting screw 122 therein which is engageable with the upperface of the body of air pressure control valve 36 and also is adjustablerelative to the valve rod 90 for purposes of controlling the degree ofpressure with which valve member 102 engages seat 104 thereof.

OPERATION OF THE FILLING VALVE UNIT When the filling nozzle 12 is placedin filling relationship with at least the upper portion of the container14 as the result of relative longitudinal movement effected between thetwo in the manner described hereinabove, the valve-tripping rod 18 isalso moved longitudinally relative to the filling valve unit 10 andthereby opens air control valve 22 to cause air under pres sure to enterchamber 98 of air pressure control valve 36 due to the spring 118normally maintaining first poppet valve open between valve member 102and seat 104. Valve member 102 also substantially closes relief opening120. Air is thus introduced under pressure against the upper face ofpiston 74 in cylinder 72 and thereby promptly projects discharge controlvalve 66 to open position. Valve member 66 is in direct communicationwith the filling liquid made constantly available through inlet conduit46. Meanwhile, vacuum of a desired degree is constantly made availablethrough valved nipple 48 which produces corresponding suction throughpassage 80 in piston rod 70 which results in a limited amount of airconstantly being drawn inward through hole 82 in the lower end ofmovable valve member 64.

Liquid continues to discharge through the open control valve 66 untilthe upper surface of the rising liquid encounters the lower end of valvemember 64, thereby shutting off the free suction of air through hole 82in said valve member. This results in the normal vacuum being drawnthrough nipple 48 to be applied substantially entirely to chamber 52,vacuum conduit 56, and chamber 60 in air pressure control valve 36, withthe result that the central portion of diaphragm 110 is drawn instantlydownward and thereby closes the first poppet valve comprising valvemember 102 and seat 104 in the upper portion of air pressure controlvalve 36. Such movement also opens second poppet valve comprising valvemember 106 and seat 108 which causes air under pressure to be appliedagainst diaphragm 110, in opposition to spring 118, as in FIG. 3.

Such discontinuance of pressure against the upper face of piston 74permits spring 76 instantly to elevate piston 74 and correspondinglymove the plug valve member 64 into closed relationship with the lowerend of nozzle 12 and thereby immediately discontinue the flow of liquidtherethrough. Such movement disposes the sealing ring 68 against thelower end of nozzle 12. Also, residual pressure in the upper end ofcylinder 72 will be dissipated to atmosphere through the relief passage120 in the upper end of air pressure control valve 36. Upward movementof valve member 64 momentarily separates it from the rising liquid inthe container, thus exposing the end of vacuum passage 80 but,meanwhile, the air pressure in chamber 96 against diaphragm 110maintains discharge control valve 66 closed.

Separation of the filling nozzle 12 from the container then is effectedby conventional mechanism, not shown, and not comprising part of thepresent invention. Rod 18 also is moved to remove centering means 24from any interference to removal of the filled container 14 from thefilling station. Such movement of rod 18 causes cam surface 26 thereonto disengage the roller on valve actuator 20 and thereby closes valve 22which causes inlet means to communicate with atmosphere, as aforesaid.This permits a release of the pressure in chamber 96 to atmospherethrough conduit 32, whereby spring 118 then is capable of restoringdiaphragm 110 to its initial position in which valve member 106 isseated against seat 108 and valve 102, 104 is open. This is the resetposition of valve 36. An empty container then is moved into fillingposition and the cycle described above is repeated commencing with theactuation of rod 18 which opens valve 22 to introduce air pressure tovalve 36,

During the operation of the mechanism as described above, a very slightamount of liquid may be drawn from the filled container through hole 82and up the passage 80 and from there into the valved nipple 48. Toaccommodate the same, the apparatus may, if desired, be provided with asmall waste container, not shown, communicating with the passage innipple 48 or the conduit connected thereto to receive such liquid andaccumulate it, such receptacle somewhat resembling a sediment bulb in aconventional gasoline line of an automotive vehicle. The amount ofliquid involved in such operation is extremely slight. Also, duringoperation of themechanism, the vacuum provided through valved nipple 48and the passages communicating therewith is continuously supplied duringoperation of the machine and thus will continue to draw air through hole82 and passage 80 during the time interval elapsing between when thenozzle is being removed from a filled container and introduced into anempty container and otherwise while the machine may be idle, at leastuntil a master control valve, not shown, but effective upon the passagein nipple 48, is closed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the filling mechanism and themeans for actuating the flow control valve for liquid being delivered toa container is relatively simple, foolproof, capable of being operatedat high speed and operable to introduce liquid accurately intocontainers to a precise level controlled solely by the position of thelower end of the filling nozzle within such containers. Appropriateadjustable means are provided to regulate the operation and it is onlynecessary to provide a source of air under pressure of relatively smallcapacity as well as a limited amount of vacuum from a suitable source,If desired, a simple compressor may be utilized to furnish the airpressure and the inlet of the compressor can provide the necessaryvacuum. Also, the provision of the flow control or shutoff valve for thefilling liquid at the lower end ofthe nozzle provides for very effectiveand accurate control for shutting off of the flow of liquid instantlyand, by virtue of the continual application of a small amount of suctionconstantly through hole 82 in the lower end of valve member 64, nodripping of any residual liquid from the lower end of valve member 64will occur.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its severalpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the same is not to berestricted to the precise details illustrated and described herein sincethe same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope ofthe invention as illustrated and described.

lclaim:

1. An automatic-filling valve unit connectable to a supply of liquid andoperable to effect discharge of said liquid into containers, said unitcomprising in combination, a filling nozzle, means operable to disposesaid nozzle within a container and position the discharge end at apredetermined level, within the upper portion of the container; adischarge control valve inc uding a valve member movable at thedischarge end of said nozzle, spring means connected to said valvemember and operable to move it to closed position, fluid-operated meansresponsive to fluid under pressure and directly connected to said valvemember and operable to move it to open position in opposition to saidspring means; and a pressure control valve connected between saidfluid-operated means and a source of fluid under pressure, said controlvalve comprising a first and second poppet valve and a diaphragmconnected commonly thereto for simultaneous actuation thereof, a springoperable against one side of said diaphragm for movement thereof andsaid poppet valves connected thereto in one direction, passages in saidpressure control valve connecting said poppet valves with said source offluid under pressure, said first and second poppet valves respectivelycontrolling the flow of fluid under pressure to said fluid operatedmeans and the opposite side of said diaphragm for movement thereof inopposition to said spring; vacuum passage means connectable to a sourceof vacuum and terminating at one end adjacent said discharge end of saidnozzle, and conduit means interconnecting said vacuum passage to saidone side of said diaphragm of said pressure control valve and operableupon the rising level of liquid in said container reaching said one endof said vacuum passage means to cause vacuum in said passage to movesaid diaphragm of said pressure control valve in a direction to closesaid first poppet valve to discontinue flow of fluid pressure to saidfluid-operated means and open said second poppet valve to direct fluidunder pressure against said diaphragm in opposition to the pressure ofsaid spring to insure the closing of said first poppet valve, saidpressure control valve also having a conduit between said first poppetvalve and said fluidoperated means of said flow control valve and a portopen to atmosphere communicating with said conduit, whereby when saidfirst poppet valve is closed as aforesaid said port can release pressureupon said discharge control valve member and thereby permit said springmeans of said discharge control valve to move said discharge controlvalve member to closed position.

2. The filling valve unit according to claim 1 in which said fluidoperated means for said discharge control valve comprises a cylinder andpiston unit and further including a piston rod extending from saidpiston longitudinally through said filling nozzle, and said movablevalve member of said discharge control valve being connected to andsupported by one end of said piston rod for actuation thereby.

3. The filling valve unit according to claim 2 in which said movablevalve member of said discharge control valve comprises a plug movablerelative to the lower end of said nozzle to effect opening and closingof said valvev 4. The filling valve unit according to claim 2 in whichsaid vacuum passage means extends longitudinally through said piston rodfrom the outer end thereof adjacent said movable valve member thereon,and said filling head having a vacuum inlet therein communicating withthe vacuum passage means in said piston rod.

5. The filling valve unit according to claim 1 further including an airvalve connected between a source of air under pressure and said pressurecontrol valve, and actuating means for said air valve operable incidentto disposing said filling nozzle within a container to deliver air tosaid pressure control valve and also to said cylinder and piston unit ofsaid discharge control valve to open said discharge control valve forthe delivery of liquid through said filling nozzle to a container.

1. An automatic-filling valve unit connectable to a supply of liquid andoperable to effect discharge of said liquid into containers, said unitcomprising in combination, a filling nozzle, means operable to disposesaid nozzle within a container and position the discharge end at apredetermined level, within the upper portion of the container; adischarge control valve including a valve member movable at thedischarge end of said nozzle, spring means connected to said valvemember and operable to move it to closed position, fluid-operated meansresponsive to fluid under pressure and directly connected to said valvemember and operable to move it to open position in opposition to saidspring means; and a pressure control valve connected between saidfluid-operated means and a source of fluid under pressure, said controlvalve comprising a first and second poppet valve and a diaphragmconnected commonly thereto for simultaneous actuation thereof, a springoperable against one side of said diaphragm for movement thereof andsaid poppet valves connected thereto in one direction, passages in saidpressure control valve connecting said poppet valves with said source offluid under pressure, said first and second poppet valves respectivelycontrolling the flow of fluid under pressure to said fluid operatedmeans and the opposite side of said diaphragm for movement thereof inopposition to said spring; vacuum passage means connectable to a sourceof vacuum and terminating at one end adjacent said discharge end of saidnozzle, and conduit means interconnecting said vacuum passage to saidone side of said diaphragm of said pressure control valve and operableupon the rising level of liquid in said container reaching said one endof said vacuum passage means to cause vacuum in said passage to movesaid diaphragm of said pressure control valve in a direction to closesaid first poppet valve to discontinue flow of fluid pressure to saidfluid-operated means and open said second poppet valve to direct fluidunder pressure against said diaphragm in opposition to the pressure ofsaid spring to insure the closing of said first poppet valve, saidpressure control valve also having a conduit between said first poppetvalve and said fluid-operated means of said flow control valve and aport open to atmosphere communicating with said conduit, whereby whensaid First poppet valve is closed as aforesaid said port can releasepressure upon said discharge control valve member and thereby permitsaid spring means of said discharge control valve to move said dischargecontrol valve member to closed position.
 2. The filling valve unitaccording to claim 1 in which said fluid operated means for saiddischarge control valve comprises a cylinder and piston unit and furtherincluding a piston rod extending from said piston longitudinally throughsaid filling nozzle, and said movable valve member of said dischargecontrol valve being connected to and supported by one end of said pistonrod for actuation thereby.
 3. The filling valve unit according to claim2 in which said movable valve member of said discharge control valvecomprises a plug movable relative to the lower end of said nozzle toeffect opening and closing of said valve.
 4. The filling valve unitaccording to claim 2 in which said vacuum passage means extendslongitudinally through said piston rod from the outer end thereofadjacent said movable valve member thereon, and said filling head havinga vacuum inlet therein communicating with the vacuum passage means insaid piston rod.
 5. The filling valve unit according to claim 1 furtherincluding an air valve connected between a source of air under pressureand said pressure control valve, and actuating means for said air valveoperable incident to disposing said filling nozzle within a container todeliver air to said pressure control valve and also to said cylinder andpiston unit of said discharge control valve to open said dischargecontrol valve for the delivery of liquid through said filling nozzle toa container.